October - Photos of Kids

I have been told by a few people that I need to add some photos of the kids, so here are some random photos from this past month.

Angela:

I can't seem to get her to stop reading, it is nice that she enjoys reading to Connor sometimes.

With her 'Landform' she made at school. It depicts many different features of our planet. Connor:

He spent about five minutes laying in the sunbeams playing with the dust motes.

"Take a picture of my truck, Take a picture of my truck!" "Please...."

Emeric:

I don't think he's laughing, but it sure makes a good story.

Up close and personal!

I hope you have enjoyed these - until next time.

Come Mr. Tally Man...

...Tally me bananas! Not to toot my own horn but *toot*toot*toot* I finished Emeric's costume and I think it turned out great.

The gal who lived here before us subscribed to a bunch of magazines and we still get many of them. One came with a bunch of infant/children Halloween costumes. In it I found an adorable banana bunting, but I am sort of a frugal spender and there is no way I was willing to spend the $30 for it. What to do, what to do? Make one of my own of course. I went and bought about $5 worth of fabric then sat down one afternoon and designed a pattern that would hopefully work. A few hours of sewing later and this is what we got: one cute, adorable, banana bunting. After Halloween I'll have photos of Emeric in it.

One Year Gone

We left Spokane and Washington State on October 1st, 2008. Brian started working his apprenticeship on October 13th, 2008. We therefore have hit his one year mark. It is a bit like looking in Alice’s rabbit hole when I think of what this year has brought us and where it has taken us. We have been back to WA twice; once by plane and once by train/car. The kids and I stayed for six weeks each time and Brian got to stay for a week. We lived in the 5th wheel for about six months and then bought a house, which we have been in for about six months. Angela has been homeschooled and in public school. Both she and Connor have celebrated a birthday growing one year older and more ornery. The each have taken swimming lessons and Angela has also participated in the swim team. I have grown quite active here, getting involved with the church, teaching water aerobics and being elected to the steering team of my MOPS group. Brian is soon to be “stepping” again in his apprenticeship; this will make him a fourth step. There are a total of seven steps until he can test to become a journeyman lineman. It is really exciting to see how much he enjoys working and learning the trade. As I sit here typing this The Byrd’s song To Every Season is running through my head: To everything (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn) and a time for every purpose under heaven. This song is a direct quote of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and it seems so true of our lives; the fact that there is a time for every matter under heaven.

Weekend Creation

This past weekend was spent with me being a good mom, but a bad wife. I got absolutely nothing done around the house (Brian can attest to that), but I did complete Connor's Halloween costume.

Connor has wanted to be a leopard for the past two months, ever since he saw a picture in a library book. Then we were at the fabric store and he saw leopard fabric, that got him stuck.

I didn't realize that I should have sewn knee pads into the costume until he tried it on.

Brian couldn't decide who looked better: Connor or I.

My next goal - Emeric - and then getting Angela to commit to a costume idea.

Welcome Emeric!

The newest addition to our family, Emeric Russell, is ten days old. WOW! Where did this time go? Well I know that a lot of it has not been spent on the computer. I've quickly checked e-mails, but that is it. Now that I am between feedings I will quickly get some typing in.

Emeric was born on September 19th, 2009 at 4:24 am. He was two to three days past his due date (depending on which MD you talk to). But once this little guy decided to come, he didn't take his time. I had my first contraction at 1:22 am and as you may have noticed he was born 3 hours and 2 minutes later. I was at the birth center for 23 minutes when he came into this world. Yes, we pushed it just a bit on leaving the house. We left our house around 3:15 am and I was back sitting on the couch naping at 10:00 am. Since he and I were healthy and fine there is nothing like a birth center birth, they get you in and get you home. Except for the fact that I had been up half the night and just had a baby, so I was tired, I couldn't stand just sitting on the couch. I had to get up and move around. It was really hard not to help mom and Brian with things. Now that they are both gone back home and to work, I really miss their extra hands.

Things are settling in just fine here, now my big task is to remember to take lots of pictures for everyone back home.

P.S. Here is the yummy peach pie I made when he was four days old.

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Lisa Leonard Designs Jewelry GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
The spoons!!! I love them. I can see the three kids eating breakfast or the five of us eating ice cream, yum! What about Christmas presents for the neices and nephews? I would love to win this contest.

The Scoop

I have been enjoying sewing over these last few weeks. I made those pod swaddlers and then I worked on a few other projects. We are planning on using cloth diapers for the baby. Therefore one of my projects was flannel baby wipes. Might as well have something else we can reuse - this being green can be fun. Then I made a bag for my clothes pins. Silly, I know, but I had fun and it allowed me to practice making button holes. Brian needed a flag for our canoe, since it sticks aways out of the back of the truck. Then over the weekend I finished "The Scoop". It is a combination play mat/toy bag. When the mat is open it is a nice big round space for baby to play. Then when you are all done, you just close it up toys and all and it is a handy bag. Angela and I joked about closing it up with baby too, but I know know that he/she would like that. It was a lot of fun and super easy to make this project. I can't wait for whatever may be my next project.